The other man
by bonesmad
Summary: Chakotay's thoughts during "The Q and the Grey" after Janeway tells him Q's intentions on the ship


She'd known. The second he'd said 'I see' just how he felt. And she reached out for him anyway. Touched his arm, and that totally unravelled him, he just let it slip what he was actually thinking.

"I no I don't have any right to feel this way but this bothers the hell out of me." he looked down, almost ashamed to admit it. But he knew she already knew it. And then that sorry excuse for a man showed up and ruined the moment.

"Why didn't you tell me there's another man."

"Because there isn't" she said and he felt his heart drop slightly as she moved away from him, her warm hand leaving his arm. Then Q had really made his blood boil, large oaf? How dare he! But he loved watching Kathryn blow him off. he watched Q's face fall as they both left the room.

/ / / / /

He was soaked, the sweat was literally rolling into his eyes as he punched the bag, again and again, over and over.

"Chakotay!" he heard a yell and turned sharply to find Belanna standing in front of him.

"Sorry what is it?" she put a hand on her hip.

"I've been here for five minutes." she said.

"Sorry I'm just thinking."

"About what?" she asked walking towards him.

"Getting a bigger tattoo." He muttered.

"What are you talking about." She rose her eye brow giving him a look that could chill the blood of lower ranking officers.

"Never mind." He shook his head.

"Fancy a sparring partner?" she asked.

"No I think I'm done for the day.

"Want to tell me what's bothering you." She asked leaning against the ring he had programmed into the holo-programme

"Q." He said simply as he started taking the strapping off my hands.

"Yes his unannounced visits are getting to be quite an annoyance." She nodded.

"And…"

"and?" she crossed her arms looking at him with the intensity only Torres could manage.

"Nothing."

"Oh cause I believe that." She said.

"He wants to mate with her." he whispered. She dropped her arms.

"He wants to… wow."

"I can't take it." he shrugged finally looking her in the eye.

"Take what?"

"The thought of her _with _another man never mind having another mans child." Belanna said nothing. "The thought of Q's hands on her…" he slapped the bag again.

"I… I don't know what to say. I didn't realise you…" she said.

"You didn't?"

"Well I knew but I had no idea it was so…" she stopped short again.

"Neither did I." He collapsed against the ring at her feet.

"She's not going to is she…"

"NO!" he snapped. "No she's not! She's says its out of the question." he paused. "but maybe she should."

Belanna looked down at him. He'd never seen her so quite in all the time he'd known her.

"You are going to have to explain."

"She deserves a family, a child." Belanna smiled at her friend, her close friend, the man she now saw as an older brother. She'd known about his crush on the captain. But that's what she thought it was a crush. And now she saw the truth. That it was so much more.

/ / / / /

He got up from his chair on the bridge, and walked towards her ready room. He rang the bell and waited to be let in. the door opened and he walked in. she was sitting at her desk with a report in her hand.

"Commander." She looked up smiling.

"The doctors latest request." He said handing over the Padd. "he would like another wing to be added onto sickbay." She rolled her eyes.

"I'll look at it in a minute. First I think Quincy needs a bottle." She grinned and stood up walking around him. He turned slowly to find Q sitting on the ground with a small dark haired baby lying at his feet. She picked him up and cuddled him close. He looked down at Q who winked.

"Such a perfect family." Q said.

Chakotay shot up in bed panting. _Just a nightmare_ he said to himself. _I hope!_

/ / / / /

"Commander I'll be in my ready room when you're finished with that report." Janeway said as she got up from her chair.

"Yes Captain." He nodded and put his eyes back on his report.

/

He had finished the report twelve minutes ago but he couldn't bring himself to get up and go to her. But he knew he had to, that he couldn't let his jealousy or what ever it was get in the way of his job.

He rang the bell and waited to be let in, the door opened and he walked in. she was sitting at her desk Padd in hand just like in his dream.

"Commander." She smiled. He turned to look at her lounge area just to be sure that Q was no where in sight. "Commander?"

"Sorry. Here you go." He handed over his Padd.

"thank you." He stood in front of her desk, just as he had two days before when she'd told him what Q wanted.

"So any more unexpected visits." She sighed.

"he's everywhere!" she said. "I go back to my quarters he's there with that ridiculous bed, I go to the holo-deck he's there. He just wont leave. Even though I've made myself very clear." She rubbed her forehead. "I'm running out of ways to tell him to go away."

"I can think of a few options." He smiled.

"He's a Q you cannot beat it out of him. But thank you." He nodded.

/ / / / /

He got up from his chair on the bridge, and walked towards her ready room. He rang the bell and waited to be let in. the door opened and he walked in. she was sitting at her desk with a report in her hand.

"Commander." She looked up smiling.

"The doctors latest request." He said handing over the Padd. "he would like another wing to be added onto sickbay." She rolled her eyes.

"I'll look at it in a minute. First I think Cholena needs a bottle." She grinned and stood up walking around him. He turned slowly to find a grey playpen set up on the lounge area. He stepped up onto the rise and looking into it found himself face to face with a small dark haired caramel skinned little girl. Janeway picked her up and cuddled her close. He looked on in awe. "What's wrong with daddy he looks funny." She said to the little baby who just gurgled

Chakotay sat up in bed afraid to smile.

/ / / / /

"I'll be in my ready room." She smiled brighter then he'd seen in days and left. He grinned. He sat back and sighed. They had just fought in a civil war, but at least he now knew Q was gone for good.

/

He walked into her ready room to find her leaning on the railing with a smile on her face.

"Deep in thought Captain?" he asked. She just nodded. "Regretting rejecting Q's offer?"

"God no!" he said nothing but let out a silent sigh of relief. "Just relishing in my new role as Aunt Kathy, God mother to the saviour of the Continuum."

"God mother." He smiled.

"Yes. A lesser role I admit but one I'm satisfied with." He just looked at her. "Chakotay?"

"Sorry."

"Where's your head been these last few days."

"In all honesty." She nodded. "Right here. I've been haunted by images of you in here with Q and little baby Quincy." He waved a hand. She laughed lightly.

"Quincy." He grinned at her.

"there aren't many names that begin with Q." he shrugged

"Quentin?" she suggested.

"It's along the same lines." She stood up and reached over her desk and took his arm. Just like she had the other day.

"You can't have thought for a second that I was going to agree to his preposterous idea." He looked down at her arm.

"It still drove me mad." She let her hand drop. "I know I have no right to be saying all this…" he said again.

"You keep saying that. And it really doesn't sit well with me." She walked around her desk to stand in front of him.

"What do you mean captain."

"You have every right…" she whispered.

"Because…"

"There's no one else in this universe who I would even consider _mating _with." She smiled stressing the word Q had used. He grinned and taking her chin in his hands kissed her lightly before pulling away.

"And the tattoos definitely big enough." He whispered. She just laughed and kissed him again.


End file.
